Dyslexia Awareness Month & World Dyslexia Day

Proclamation
By the Governor of Alabama

WHEREAS, Dyslexia is a specific learning disability, that is neurobiological in origin and is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities; and

WHEREAS, these difficulties typically are caused by a deficit in the phonological component of language that is unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and to the provision of effective classroom instruction; and

WHEREAS, secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge; and

WHEREAS, Dyslexia occurs on a continuum of severity, affecting between 10 and 20 percent of the population according to the National Institutes of Health; and

WHEREAS, Alabamians will benefit from increased awareness of the nature of Dyslexia, the early warning signs of Dyslexia, and the value of evidenced-based, multi-sensory structured language interventions for students with Dyslexia; and

WHEREAS, greater recognition and understanding are necessary to ensure that individuals with Dyslexia living in Alabama and all other Americans with Dyslexia are accurately identified and provided with appropriate services to help them attain their fullest intellectual potential:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim October 15, 2015, as

World Dyslexia Day

and October as

Dyslexia Awareness Month

in the State of Alabama.

Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 9th day of October 2015.

Robert Bentley
Governor